U.S. patent application number 14/836623 was filed with the patent office on 2016-03-03 for technique for navigating a vehicle to a parking place.
The applicant listed for this patent is PARKLIFE LTD.. Invention is credited to Itzhak Benenson, Nadav Levy.
Application Number | 20160061618 14/836623 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55312465 |
Filed Date | 2016-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160061618 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benenson; Itzhak ; et
al. |
March 3, 2016 |
TECHNIQUE FOR NAVIGATING A VEHICLE TO A PARKING PLACE
Abstract
A technique for providing to a user, while driving and seeking a
parking place in a parking area, a continuously extending best
parking route which ensures the maximal number of expected curb
parking places and satisfies a set of parking preferences of the
user. Simultaneously, one or more additional parking routes may be
provided to the user.
Inventors: |
Benenson; Itzhak; (Tel Aviv,
IL) ; Levy; Nadav; (Tel Aviv, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PARKLIFE LTD. |
Tel Aviv |
|
IL |
|
|
Family ID: |
55312465 |
Appl. No.: |
14/836623 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/428 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/3453 20130101;
G01C 21/3685 20130101; G06F 16/9537 20190101 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/36 20060101
G01C021/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 27, 2014 |
IL |
234323 |
Claims
1. A method of providing guidance to a user, while driving and
seeking a vacant parking place, by presenting to the user a best
parking route wandering within a parking area determined around the
user's destination, the method comprising: calculating and
presenting to the user, in real time, portion by portion of said
best parking route, wherein each newly presented portion of said
best parking route is calculated based on the user's current
location and based on information on parking availability within
the parking area; is characterized by a maximal number of vacant
curb parking places expected on that portion according to said
information; satisfies a set of parking preferences stated by the
user, thereby ensuring the maximal expected number of the vacant
curb parking places along the best parking route wandering within
the parking area up to either the user finds a vacant curb parking
place according to the set of parking preferences, or the parking
preferences are changed.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further
comprises updating said information in real time, performed by the
user and other users utilizing said guidance.
3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
simultaneously presenting to the user one or more additional
parking routes comprising at least one of the following: an
alternative best parking route satisfying an alternative set of
parking preferences of the user; a parking route to a parking lot
being closest to the user's destination; a parking route to a
parking lot being the cheapest in the parking area or beyond it;
and a parking route to a parking lot arbitrarily chosen by the user
in the parking area or beyond it.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said
additional parking routes to the closest, the cheapest and the
selected parking is optimized to provide the maximal possible
expected number of vacant curb parking places there-along.
5. The method according to claim 1, comprising: calculating all
possible route portions within the parking area, starting from the
user's vehicle current location CL and being no longer than a
predetermined length; selecting, from all said possible route
portions, said portion of the best parking route; and in case the
user's vehicle has not parked on its way to the selected best
parking route portion's end point, presenting to the user a next
portion of the best parking route calculated as starting from said
end point considered a new CL, thereby forming a gradually
extendable best parking route.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein calculation of each
newly presented portion of said best parking route comprises:
calculating all possible route portions within the parking area,
starting from the user's vehicle current location CL and being no
longer than the predetermined length; and selecting, from all said
possible route portions, a new portion of the best parking route
for presenting to the user.
7. The method according to claim 1, comprising preliminary steps
of: providing a Server and providing the user with a mobile device;
forming a Server Database DB storing information on parking
availability within an urban area including said parking area, the
method further comprising: establishing bidirectional real time
communication between the Server and the user's mobile device;
providing said Server with information from said mobile device on
the user's destination DEST, user's vehicle current location CL, a
set of the user's parking preferences; providing the mobile device
with a best parking route, determined using said DB, according to
said set of the user's parking preferences and being maximized
regarding a number of expected vacant curb parking places
there-along; and updating said Server by the user in real time.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said set of parking
preferences comprises one or more of the following privileges
and/or limitations: resident/visitor of the city; specific parking
permit; conventional driver/handicapped driver entitled for special
parking places; private car/van/ truck/ bus etc.; maximal walking
distance/walking time from the parking place to destination;
maximal price of the curb/off-street parking place; maximal parking
search time available to the driver; and latest time of arrival to
the destination's entrance.
9. The method according to claim 3, further comprising displaying
different simultaneously presented route portions, route segments
and/or parking routes using different colors or patterns.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising informing
the user about parking restrictions for each side of the road
segment being currently passed by the user.
11. method according to claim 1, further comprising periodically or
continuously updating said best parking route presented to the
user.
12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising estimating,
for said best parking route, one or more of the following
parameters: expected parking search time, total parking fees during
an expected period of parking, distance between the expected
parking place and/or the walk time from the expected parking place
to a destination, a probability of failure to find a parking place
during the maximal available parking search time.
13. The method according to claim 1, accounting for the best
parking routes suggested to different users of said guidance and
preventing potential overlap of the best parking routes of two or
more said different users.
14. The method according to claim 1, comprising grouping different
users of said guidance into at least two different groups, and
guiding users of the different groups according to different
policies.
15. A system for implementing the method according to claim 1.
16. A system for providing guidance to a user driving a user's
vehicle and searching for a vacant parking place in a parking area
selected around the user's destination DEST, the system comprising:
a Server; a Server Database DB for storing information on
availability of vacant parking places in an urban area comprising
said parking area, and for determining parking routes in the urban
area, the DB being in real time communication with the Server or
being a part of the Server; and a mobile device located in the
user's vehicle, equipped with a GPS sensor and capable of
establishing real time bidirectional communication with the Server,
wherein the Server being operative: to communicate with said mobile
device for receiving therefrom information on the user's
destination DEST, user's vehicle current location CL, a set of the
user's parking preferences; to communicate with the mobile device
for providing it with a best parking route, determined using said
DB, according to said set of the user's parking preferences and
being maximized regarding a number of expected vacant curb parking
places there-along; and to receive updates from said mobile device
at least on the user's vehicle current location CL, the parking
preferences in real time, and update said DB accordingly.
17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the Server being
further operative: to form a User Database UDB, using said DB and
based on the information received from the user; said User Database
being suitable for determining parking routes in the parking area;
to provide to said mobile device either: a best parking route,
determined according to said set of the user's parking preferences
and being maximized regarding a number of expected vacant curb
parking places there-along, calculated by the Server using said
User Database, or the User Database for calculating said best
parking route at the mobile device; and to receive updates from
said mobile device on the user's parking search results and update
said DB and UDB accordingly.
18. The system according to claim 16, further comprising one or
more sources of information updated periodically or in real time on
availability of parking places in said urban area, the sources
being in communication with the Server to update the currently
existing information in the Database.
19. The system according to claim 16, comprising at least one
additional mobile device in bidirectional real time communication
with the Server, wherein the Server is capable to form for all said
mobile devices respective UDBs.
20. A software product, comprising computer implementable
instructions and/or data for carrying out the method according to
claim 1, stored on an appropriate computer readable storage medium
so that the software is capable of enabling operations of said
method when used in a computer system.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Israeli Patent
Application 234,328, filed on Aug. 27, 2014, the disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of decision
support tools, and, more particularly, to the field of decision
support tools for drivers. More specifically, the present invention
belongs to the field of computerized navigation of land vehicles,
namely to a technique for navigating a vehicle to a parking place
which would be located in close proximity to a pre-selected
destination.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A driver of a vehicle, who wishes to visit a destination,
must locate a parking place (PP) within the area of the
destination, at which to park the vehicle during the visit. Various
types of PP may be available, including free and paid curb PP, PP
at the public or private garages or at non-organized open
spaces.
[0004] PP may be available to all drivers or restricted to the
drivers/vehicles of specific types, depending on the type of the
drivers (e.g., resident or visitor of the area, private or
commercial car). Parking limitations for each category of drivers
and cars can vary during time of the day, day of the week and month
of the year.
[0005] PP may differ in their size and fitness to the dimensions
and type of the car and accessibility by foot (steps, inaccessible
for disabled persons, etc.).
[0006] There are a number of prior art references, which describe
various techniques for navigating a vehicle to an entrance of the
parking lot, to a PP in the parking lot or to a known vacant curb
PP located close to a known destination. This is usually
implemented by utilizing OPS services provided to phones, laptops
etc.
[0007] Most of the prior art references define location of the
parking lot or PP as being in a walking distance from the
destination, for example U.S. 2010/0042318 A1.
[0008] Some references describe or discuss ways of selecting a
suitable parking place among available private parking lots and
free parking places. One example of such solutions is described in
U.S. 2009/0171567 A1.
[0009] There is also a group of references which disclose methods
of searching free parking spaces according to probability that the
PP will be vacant, for example according to frequency of finding
them vacant in the past, or according to estimated duration of a
search for specific parking spot(s). Such a group comprises JP
2010-223797 A, U.S. 2014/0340242 A1, U.S. 2012/0161984 A1.
[0010] The prior art also comprises solutions which propose ways of
exchanging information about free parking places between drivers
located in the same area, for example by using various social
networks like in U.S. 2010/0302068 A1.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present inventors have recognized that the drivers that
cruise for parking, in some instances, do not know which curb
parking places are occupied and which are free at a given moment of
time. Different from the parking lots, there are no standard
sources of information about the curb parking occupancy. Even if
the exact location of the free curb PPs is known, they can be
occupied a few moments later by other drivers who search for a
parking place in the same area. In this circumstances, especially
when the number of drivers who cruise for parking is close to or
even higher than the instantaneous number of the parking places
(PP) that are available for the parking in the area of search, the
time of the parking search is very uncertain, and, averagely, very
high. Given a limited search time, a chance of failure in finding a
PP that satisfies driver's preferences is also high. The drivers
that cruise for parking focus on recognizing vacant PP and parking
lots, and are thus inattentive to the road situation. In addition,
cruising cars drive at a speed that is lower than the speed of
commuting cars and disturb general traffic. The lower, comparing to
the general traffic, speed of the cruising drivers, and their
inattention to traffic conditions causes traffic congestion,
excessive fuel consumption, air pollution and traffic
accidents.
[0012] It is therefore the object of the present invention to
propose a novel technique of providing guidance to a driver, which
would overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks and would flexibly
and/or effectively assist the driver to find a vacant parking place
suitable for the driver in any current specific situation. In
particular instances, one or more additional parking routes may be
provided to the user, for example: an alternative best parking
route satisfying an alternative set of parking preferences, a route
to a parking lot being closest to the user's destination; a route
to a cheapest parking lot in the parking area, and/or a route to a
parking lot arbitrarily chosen by the user.
[0013] The following terms and definitions will be used in the
present patent description and claims. [0014] the term "user" may
be used in parallel with the following synonyms: driver, passenger,
client; all such terms define a person making use of the inventive
technique for finding a parking place in an urban area; [0015] the
term "route" may be used in parallel with the term "path" for
defining a trajectory/way of a user's vehicle movement in an urban
area. A route is composed from portions, while a portion is
composed from segments. Both portions and segments are parts of a
route. [0016] the term "portion" may be used in parallel with the
terms " portion of a route" "route portion" "piece of a route" and
indicates a part of the route including at least one but usually
more street/road segments ; in the present invention, each road
segment is understood as a road section/link between two adjacent
junctions, and is characterized by a particular number of parking
places and "expected number of vacant curb parking places" (ENVP);
the ENVP may vary depending on season, weekday, hour, etc.
[0017] In the frame of the invention, "portions" are pieces of a
route that is constructed/calculated by the proposed technique.
Typically, route portions may have length of 300-500m, while
segments, in urban area may have typical lengths of about 50-150 m.
[0018] the term "best parking route" may be used in parallel with
the following synonyms: "optimized parking route/path",
"best/optimized parking search route/path", "best /optimized
route/path" and the like, wherein all of the synonyms are intended
to describe the way calculated by the inventive system for a driver
to maximally assist the driver to find a suitable parking place in
a specific parking area. [0019] the term "combination of parking
preferences" may be used in parallel with the following synonyms:
"a set of parking preferences", "a set of parking
permits/privileges and preferences", "a set of parking criteria",
and is associated with one or more parking conditions formulated by
a specific user (driver/client/passenger) before starting the
parking search. [0020] the term "curb parking place" may be used in
parallel with the following synonyms: "on-street parking place",
"street parking place", wherein all the terms indicate parking
places (PP) along streets, being either free of charge, or
associated with relatively modest rates. The present description
discusses searching for a vacant parking place, which is preferably
a curb parking place. Therefore, any parking search (physical or
computerized) in the frame of the present description should be
understood as a search for vacant parking places. [0021] the term
"parking lot" may be used in parallel with the following synonyms:
"off-street parking place", "garage" and indicate parking areas and
facilities characterized by relatively high rates; [0022] the term
"Server Database" may be used in parallel with terms "Server-based
parking search Database", "main Database" and the like; said
Database should be understood as a centralized Server Database,
which accumulates information on parking availability in an urban
area and allows performing therein parking searches for a plurality
of users. [0023] the term "User Database" may be used in parallel
with the term "User-specific parking search Database", "User
Specific Database" and the like; the User Database is built using
the main Database and allows performing therein parking searches
for a specific user.
[0024] The concept of the invention comprises the following three
principles of navigation, (i.e. providing guidance to a user in a
vehicle) while seeking for a vacant parking place, both separately
and in combination with one another.
[0025] The first principle comprises providing to a user, while
driving and seeking for a parking place, an endless best parking
route "wandering" within a parking area determined around the
user's destination, [0026] by calculating and presenting to the
user portions of said best parking route one by one, in real time,
thereby gradually lengthening said best parking route, [0027]
wherein each newly presented portion of the best parking route,
[0028] is calculated based on the user's current location and based
on information about parking availability within the parking area;
[0029] is characterized by a maximal, among all possible portions,
ENVP - number of vacant curb parking places expected on that
portion according to said information; [0030] satisfies a set of
parking preferences stated by the user, [0031] the method thereby
ensures the maximal ENVP--expected number of the vacant curb
parking places--along the best parking route that always remains
within the parking area up to a moment, when either the user finds
a vacant curb parking place that satisfies the set of user's
parking preferences, or the parking preferences are changed. (The
latter case may also include a situation when the driver cancels
the search for curb parking and drives for parking to a parking
lot--see below).
[0032] According to the above principle, the theoretically endless
best parking route is calculated by portions (road portions). In
urban areas, the proposed route portions may have lengths of about
300-500 m. Such route portions are built from road segments which
may have a typical length of 50-150 m in urban areas.
[0033] Information about parking availability per road segment may
be stored in a suitable Database, and may be represented as a
number of expected vacant curb parking places PP on a segment. How
to create, use and update such a Database of parking availability,
will be described later in the description and illustrated in the
drawings.
[0034] Though the above-mentioned number is a statistically
expected number for a road segment, for a longer that segment
portion of a route, such numbers allow sufficiently accurate
prediction of the expected number of vacant parking places along a
said road portion and further along the best parking route, when
the road portion (and the best parking route) are sufficiently
long. The present inventors have realized that if the actual number
of vacant PP on one segment of a portion can be lower/higher than
expected, the error will be compensated by the opposite deviation
on next segments.
[0035] It has been noted by the present inventors, that the more
segments are incorporated in a route portion while calculating it,
the more accurate prediction can be made about the probability to
find such vacant parking places along the unit length (say, 100 m)
of that portion. It is therefore supposed that a portion of the
best parking route preferably comprises two or more road
segments.
[0036] Additionally, the mentioned information and further - all
road segments within the user's search area may be instantaneously
updated regarding the ENVP (number of expected vacant parking
places), for example by using data received from the user and from
other users driving in the parking area. Such data may be obtained
from time to time, periodically or continuously, in real time.
[0037] The second principle comprises providing to a user, while
driving and seeking for a parking place in a parking area
determined around the user's destination, a best parking route
within the parking area, ensuring the maximal ENVP (number of
expected curb parking places) there-along and satisfying a set of
parking preferences of the user, and simultaneously one or more
additional parking routes comprising at least one of the following:
[0038] an alternative best parking route(s) satisfying an
alternative set(s) of parking preferences of the user; [0039] a
parking route, to a parking lot being closest to the user's
destination; [0040] a parking route to a cheapest parking lot in
the parking area or beyond it, according to the user's preferences;
[0041] a parking route to another parking lot, arbitrarily chosen
by the user in the parking area or beyond it.
[0042] The best parking route may be built according to the first
principle described above.
[0043] The parking routes to any of the mentioned parking lots may
additionally be optimized to comprise the maximal possible number
of expected vacant curb parking places there-along. For example,
such a route to any of said parking lots may be optimized so that:
[0044] it comprises maximal ENVP (expected number of the vacant
PP), and [0045] the difference between the optimized parking
route's length/driving time and that of the shortest/fastest route
to the lot is limited by a pre-established value.
[0046] According to the present inventors' estimates, the proposed
pre-established value may be selected as 10% to 100% of the
shortest/fastest route to the parking lot.
[0047] For example, the optimized path to a lot may be not more
than 50% longer than the shortest path to the lot.
[0048] In some embodiments, several provided said parking routes
may be simultaneously presented on a display of the user's mobile
device in a manner allowing the user to clearly distinguish between
them. Depending on expected availability of the vacant PP on the
presented portions of the routes and depending on other
considerations, the user may change the parking preferences and
choose between several optimized curb routes and the routes to the
off-street parking places.
[0049] The third principle comprises a manner of determining a
route portion for a user while driving and seeking for a parking
place in a parking area determined around the user's destination,
by determining all possible route portions within the parking area,
starting from the user's vehicle current location (CL) and being
not longer than a predetermined length, selecting from said
possible route portions a route portion satisfying a set of parking
preferences of the user and characterized by the maximal number of
expected vacant curb parking places (ENVP), and presenting the
selected route portion to the user. In case the user's vehicle has
not parked on the curb of the selected route portion, and has
approached the final junction of the last segment of the route
portion, a next route portion that starts at that final junction
may be calculated. The next route may be calculated well in advance
for the expected new CL (being the final junction of the previous
route portion) and be timely presented to the user, thereby forming
a gradually extendable, theoretically endless best parking
route.
[0050] This third principle may be used for constructing (i.e.,
calculating) and presenting portions of the best parking route
according to the first principle.
[0051] By using one or more of the above principles, the following
improved, new technique may be provided.
[0052] It could be a technique (i.e., a method, a system, a
software product) for enabling navigation of a user's vehicle to
find a curb parking place close to a user's destination, via an
instantaneously updated and gradually lengthening best parking
route within a parking area (i.e., always located within a
predetermined distance/time of walking from the destination),
wherein the best parking route is calculated from a current
location of the user's vehicle, and, during the navigation
there-along in real time, ensures maximal possible, among all
possible parking search routes, probability for the user to find a
vacant curb parking place that fits to a set/combination of parking
preferences selected by the user. The calculation may be performed
as mentioned above. The mentioned probability to find a vacant curb
parking place may be ensured and maximized by instantaneous
updating of the information about parking availability in the
parking area. In case the user decides to cancel the
above-described curb parking search and to park at one of the
parking lots, the technique should be capable to provide the route
to such parking lot and preferably to guarantee the highest, among
all paths leading to the lot, probability to find a curb parking
place yet on the way to the lot.
[0053] The best or optimal parking route may be defined as a route
for which the expected number of vacant curb parking places along
each portion is maximal among all portions of the same or shorter
length within the mentioned parking area and start at the same
location being the user's vehicle current location, wherein, for
example, the expected total search time along the best parking
route is below a threshold selected by the user. Such a threshold
may be the only condition in the user's set of parking
preferences.
[0054] Generally, the method should ensure performing the
navigation towards the user's destination until the parking area is
reached; however, when the user's vehicle is already within the
mentioned parking area, the method comprises performing the
navigation within the parking area along the routes that provide
the highest probability to find a vacant curb parking place, so
that the user's vehicle may sometimes be navigated away from the
user's destination.
[0055] The method is thereby characterized by providing the
optimized route for cruising for the curb parking in the farm of an
endless, continuously extending path/route "wandering" around the
destination within the parking area, that comprises a possibility
that the user's parking preferences and/or parking availability may
change during the search, up to termination of the route either by
parking of the user's vehicle, or by cancelling the curb search and
choosing to drive for parking to the cheapest/closest/arbitrarily
selected parking lot.
[0056] The above-mentioned "optimal/best curb parking search
route", that "wanders" around the user's destination, may be
created by repeatedly presenting to the driver an additional
portion of the best/optimized parking route as continuing already
presented portions, for example each time when a previously
presented portion thereof was half-passed and a vacant parking
place was not yet found. The additional portion(s) of search
route(s) are calculated with a sufficient lead that allows
presenting them at the indicated moment.
[0057] Any navigation technique usually requires input values being
the user's destination DEST and the user's vehicle current location
CL.
[0058] The proposed technique needs also a set of user's parking
preferences which include user's personal characteristics/permits
and user's parking conditions, which may comprise for example the
following privileges and limitations:
[0059] User's characteristics: [0060] resident/visitor of the city,
[0061] relevant parking permits (for example, permits of taxi
drivers, emergency vehicles, working/trading vehicles at specified
areas, etc) [0062] conventional driver/handicapped driver entitled
for special parking places; [0063] type of the vehicle (for
example, private car/van/truck/bus etc. parking conditions: [0064]
maximal walking distance/ time from the parking place to the
destination, which parameter defines the borders of the parking
area around the destination DEST; [0065] maximal price of the
curb/off street parking place (according to the user's willingness
to pay); [0066] maximal search time available to the driver for
searching the parking place; [0067] latest time of arriving to the
destination's entrance, etc.
[0068] Usually, default values exist for any of users'
characteristics and parking conditions, in case they are not
selected by the specific user.
[0069] Different users usually have different parking search
preferences, e.g. to remain close to the destination during the
entire period of cruising, or to cruise, along the streets where
parking is free of charge.
[0070] The proposed new technique may be adapted to build and
update the best parking routes for arbitrary combinations of users
parking preferences, and is capable to present to the user those of
the routes that are relevant for him/her.
[0071] As mentioned, two or more different parking routes may be
simultaneously presented (displayed) to the user.
[0072] For example, the different parking routes and their parts
may be displayed using different colors or patterns, so that the
user may easily distinguish them.
[0073] Any of the discussed parking routes may indicate an expected
number of vacant parking places (ENVP) along said route, for
example by segments.
[0074] Portions of the routes and route segments having different
expected number of the vacant PP may have different colors,
patterns or symbols.
[0075] Parking restrictions of the road segment being currently
ahead of the user may be reported to the user (for example, by
displaying preliminarily agreed indications, for each side of the
curb, on the user's mobile device).
[0076] If two or more said parking routes are presented to the
driver, these routes may sometimes coincide at least partially.
Then the user has to choose one of them when they split, and it is
usually done just factually, by driving the vehicle along the
selected route.
[0077] However, if the driver does not follow any of the proposed
routes, the system is supposed to recalculate the routes according
to the new CL of the vehicle and previously selected parking
preferences.
[0078] As mentioned above, the two or more parking routes may
comprise two different best parking routes which optimize the
probability to find a curb parking place, but according to
different pre-selected combinations of the parking preferences.
[0079] Alternatively or in addition, these two or more parking
routes may comprise said best parking route and one or more
additional routes which, for example, are built for navigating the
vehicle to a parking lot being a) the closest to the destination,
or b) the cheapest one within the parking area or, if the parking
area does not contain parking lots, to the cheapest or closest or
selected by the user lots that are beyond the parking area. Also,
the user may order an additional parking route to a parking lot
which is c) known in advance/usually visited/etc.
[0080] As mentioned, the routes to the parking lots may comprise
optimizing thereof to maximize the probability to find a curb
parking place on the way to the parking lot. Such hybrid navigation
may be selected by the driver and may also depend on a selected set
of parking preferences.
[0081] In some embodiments, any parking availability information
for the parking lots and/or for street parking, including
statistical and real-time information that can be obtained is taken
into account, when calculating the portions of the parking search
routes.
[0082] The real time updates can be provided for example as
follows. When the user's vehicle navigates via a specific road
segment (say, close to the user's destination and suggested by the
technique for parking there), but does not park there and continues
the search, then an automatic update is triggered and the
instantaneous estimate of the expected number of vacant parking
places on that segment is decreased or set equal to zero.
[0083] As mentioned above, the best parking route is
instantaneously extended during the driving, thus providing
continuous guidance of the driver during cruising of the driver's
vehicle for allocating a vacant parking place (PP) within the
specified parking area around the driver's destination.
[0084] By default, the proposed best parking route is an endless
route (since it does not have a specific destination), that
satisfies user's parking preferences which can be changed during
the search. As discussed, a specific optimized parking route may be
terminated when the driver finds a parking place (PP), or when the
driver's decides to change the set of preferences or just to cancel
the search and park on the parking lot.
[0085] The latter may happen, for example, when the time budget
goes to expire, so the driver (or the system) may cancel the best
parking route and select a spare (additional) route parking which
will navigate the user's vehicle to a paid parking lot close to the
destination. Other examples may be found.
[0086] The technique may instantaneously estimate, for each of the
proposed best parking routes one or more of the following expected
parameters: search time, total parking fees, maximal distance
between the expected parking place and destination, maximal walk
time between the expected parking place and the destination, a
probability to fail to find a parking place during a predetermined
search time.
[0087] The method may additionally prevent navigating of two
vehicles along the same best parking route, one user shortly after
the other, thus decreasing the probability to park for the follow
up vehicle.
[0088] In cases when too many vehicles simultaneously look for
parking places in the same parking area or in the overlapping
parking areas, the method may provide dividing the users' vehicles
into several (at least two) groups and navigating vehicles of
different groups according to different policies. For example, the
users may be divided depending on the maximal total search time
they indicated, and then the users with the expiring time limit may
be navigated to the routes with the highest probability to park or
to the parking lots (in case the highest probability to park is yet
low). Those users who indicated longer maximal search time may be
navigated along the routes where the expectation to find a curb
parking, during a longer search time, is sufficiently high.
[0089] According to a second aspect of the invention, a system is
provided for implementing the above-described method.
[0090] It may be defined as a system for providing guidance to a
user driving a user's vehicle and seeking for a vacant parking
place in a parking area selected around the user's destination
DEST, which system may comprise: [0091] a Server; [0092] a Server
Database DB for storing information on availability of vacant
parking places in an urban area comprising said parking area, and
for determining parking routes in the urban area, the DB being in
real time communication with the Server or being a part of the
Server; [0093] a mobile device located in the user's vehicle,
equipped with a GPS sensor and capable of establishing real-time
bidirectional communication with the Server, wherein the Server is
operative: [0094] to communicate with said mobile device for
receiving therefrom information on the user's destination DEST,
user's vehicle current location CL, a set of the user's parking
preferences; [0095] to communicate with the mobile device for
providing it with a best parking route, determined using said DB,
according to said set of the user's parking preferences and being
maximized regarding a number of expected vacant curb parking places
there-along. [0096] to receive updates from said mobile device at
least on the user's vehicle current location CL, user's parking
preferences and update said DB accordingly.
[0097] The Server may be further operative: [0098] to form a User
Database, UDB, using said DB and based on the information received
from the user including user's destination DEST; said User Database
being suitable for determining parking routes in the parking area;
[0099] to provide to said mobile device either: [0100] a best
parking route, determined according to said set of the user's
parking preferences and being maximized regarding a number of
expected vacant curb parking places there-along, calculated by the
Server using said User Database, or [0101] the User Database for
calculating said best parking route at the mobile device.
[0102] The side (server or user) for calculating the best parking
route may be selected by each specific user, depending on
configuration and capabilities of the user's mobile device.
[0103] In some embodiments, the Server is also adapted [0104] to
receive updates from said mobile device on the user's parking
search results (e.g., from the start of parking search to the
current moment of time, including failures/success to find a vacant
parking place on the traversed road segments) and update said DB
(and optionally, the relative UDB) accordingly.
[0105] In practice, the system comprises a plurality of mobile
devices of the plurality of users, and is adapted to support
simultaneous communication between the server and the plurality of
mobile devices (smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc.).
[0106] In the system comprising a plurality of the mobile devices
in communication with the Server, the Server is capable to form and
provide to said mobile devices respective UDBs, wherein at each of
said mobile devices the received UDBs are further processed and
filtered to form at least one said best parking route according to
the user's set of parking preferences.
[0107] As mentioned with reference to the method, said
best/optimized parking route is an optimized parking route within
the parking area, wherein the parking area is located in a
predetermined distance/time of walking from the user's destination;
the best/optimized parking route, during the navigation there-along
in real time, ensures maximal possible probability for the user to
find a vacant parking place PP (more preferably, a curb parking
place) according to the set of parking preferences selected by said
user.
[0108] The Server Database may comprise at least data,
preliminarily collected, about streets (squares, etc.) of the urban
area, including the estimates of a number of vacant curb parking
places (on-street PP) that are usually expected during specific
hour of a day and periods of year, season, month, week, daytime,
nighttime, working day or the weekend and optionally during special
occasions (for example, various public events). The Server Database
may also comprise similar information on paid parking lots/garages
(off-street PP), and on the curb- and off-street parking places and
facilities for special categories of drivers, e.g., handicapped
persons. Usually, the Database may also comprise information on
parking permissions and facilities for different group of
drivers--residents of the city and neighborhood and visitors, as
well as on the permissions for parking permissions for the specific
groups of drivers (e.g. small business owners or taxies). Database
is thus capable of performing navigation (parking) searches for the
drivers depending on their individual characteristics, since
different drivers have different parking possibilities in the
city.
[0109] Additionally, the system may forecast parking availability
in the area in case of irregular events, as a public meeting or
temporarily limitation of the access to the area imposed by the
police over the area that overlaps the said parking area or is
located nearby thus indirectly influencing parking availability in
the parking area.
[0110] The information about parking limitations for different
group of drivers or about the irregular events can be obtained, for
example, from municipality sources.
[0111] In one practical version, the initial information in the
Database is obtained based on the Open Street Map, field surveys
and remote sensing techniques and later enriched with the real-time
information obtained from the system users.
[0112] As mentioned, in one embodiment of the system, the Server is
capable to present the User Databases to the user's mobile devices,
wherein at the mobile devices capable of processing, the received
databases are further processed and searched to form the
best/optimized parking route/s (and other, for example additional
routes to parking lots) according to the individual selected
combinations of parking preferences.
[0113] In another embodiment, the mentioned parking routes may be
calculated at the Server, based on the information received from
the mobile devices of the users.
[0114] Actually, parking routes for a plurality of drivers may be
calculated by the proposed technique simultaneously.
[0115] The system is operative to select the parking routes that
are further presented to different drivers, according to the
drivers' location, destination and parking preferences and avoiding
the situation when two or more drivers search for parking along
similar routes with a small time gap between them.
[0116] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is
provided a software product (so called facility) for guiding a user
during driving and searching for a parking place PP.
[0117] The software product designed by the Inventors comprises
computer implementable instructions and/or data for carrying out
the method (according to any one of its modifications as described
herein), stored on an appropriate computer readable storage medium
so that the software is capable of enabling operations of said
method when used in a computer system.
[0118] The proposed software product (facility) forms a more
detailed system and may comprise the mentioned Server Database, a
central Processing block at the Server and a plurality of mobile
software applications (such as a Smartphone Client at the user's
mobile devices), with their local processing blocks and interfaces.
The interfaces allow communication of the mobile devices with GPS
services, the central Processing block and with the user/s.
[0119] In some embodiments, the major part of the software product
is located on the Server, while each of the mobile software
applications adapts and presents the route/s to the driver and
instantaneously reports to the Server about the driver's current
location.
[0120] The software product is capable of communicating and
cooperating with a GPS service via the GPS sensors at the user's
mobile devices, and of course with the instantaneously updating
Database of parking places and their availability in the urban area
of interest. The software product may preferably be adapted for
real time interconnection and self-updating from various sources of
real time information on parking availability. Such sources may be
just the mobile devices of drivers using the same system. Such
mobile devices, via their software applications, may automatically
update the system/Database/software product. Another example of
such a source may be a social network providing updates initiated
by participating drivers who search for parking places in the same
urban area or parking area.
[0121] The software product is, in some embodiments, capable of
performing tens of thousands parking searches simultaneously. The
searches may be performed using the Server Data ease, which is
optionally updated by real time information on availability of the
parking places in the parking areas of different user.
[0122] In the detailed description which follows below, more
options and specific details will be presented, which are related
both to the method, the system and the software product proposed by
the Inventors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0123] The invention will be further described and illustrated with
the aid of the following non-limiting drawings in which:
[0124] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of
the system according to the invention.
[0125] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates one example of parking
routes, as can be calculated and presented by a user's mobile
device for navigation according to the invention.
[0126] FIG. 3 shows a schematic exemplary flow chart illustrating
steps for initialization of the proposed navigation system.
[0127] FIG. 4 is a schematic exemplary flow chart illustrating one
version of navigation of a user's vehicle by the proposed
system.
[0128] FIG. 5 is a schematic exemplary flow chart illustrating one
possibility of updating the data base of the system about real time
parking availability in the area of interest.
[0129] FIG. 6 is a schematic exemplary flow chart illustrating a
version of calculating an optimized parking route for a user's
vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0130] FIG. 1 shows a simplified block-diagram of one embodiment of
the system according to the invention. The system comprises a
Server (S) marked 2 and a number of clients/drivers (D1, D2, . . .
, Dn) being in bidirectional communication with the Server.
[0131] The system is intended for assisting drivers to find parking
places in a specific urban area. The clients are respectively
represented by their mobile devices marked 4.1, 4.2 . . . 4.n. The
Server comprises a Server's Processor 6 being in bidirectional
communication with a Server's Database 8 (main Database) which
comprises data concerning the urban street network and parking
lots--network topology, curb parking permissions, lots capacity,
parking prices, etc., and also concerning the parking availability
on specific streets/street portions in the area depending on
seasons, months, working days or holidays, hour, etc. The main
Server Database is suitable for performing parking searches. Upon
performing parking searches in the Server Database 8 for specific
clients, User Databases are formed by the server and also stored.
Each of the specific (User) Databases is intended for a specific
client. In FIG. 1, such User Databases are shown as blocks 9.1, 9.2
. . . 9.n being in communication with the main Server Database 8,
for updating the specific databases from the main Database 8 (if
the latter is updated). The User Databases are also connected to
the Server's Processor (or its interface, not shown) for forwarding
the User Databases to the respective clients.
[0132] The system may work as follows.
[0133] Client/driver/passenger (say, D1) determines its current
location CL using its mobile device, and transmits it to the Server
2, along with information about the driver's destination DEST and
(optionally) with at least one set of D1's parking permissions and
preferences. (Let for example, the set comprises a resident's
parking permit, and conditions to park the car at a free of charge
curb parking place at a maximal distance of 200 m from the DEST,
and to fulfill the task within 10 minutes, including the walking
time from the parking place up to the DEST).
[0134] Server's Processor 6 applies to the main Database 8 a
proprietary inventive algorithm for parking search and uses the
known DEST of D1 (and optionally the set obtained from D1), and
then builds a User Database 9.1 for the client Dl. The User
Database 9.1 is stored at the Server 2 or to be then transmitted to
the client 4.1. Such a User parking search Database comprises all
possible routes around the client's PEST within a parking area
which is defined either by a predetermined default or transmitted
by the user's permissions and preferences, as 200 m radius around
the DEST in the above example.
[0135] If any parking permits and preferences of D1 are received at
the Server 2, the User Database 9.1 built at the Server may also
suggest to the user the portion of at least one best/optimized
parking route which satisfies the set of parking permits and
preferences of the user D1. If the user's preferences are
over-restrictive and none of the search routes satisfies them the
user is suggested to weaken the preferences. In a standard case
such a route exists and ensures the maximal number of expected curb
parking places along its portions taking into account the
limitations such as the available time budget, etc. The best
parking route is understood as an endless route gradually formed by
the portions thereof, wherein the next, after the current, portions
are built in real time one after another and are suggested to the
driver one by one in case a suitable parking place is not found at
the previous current portion.
[0136] By default, or taking into account the current situation
with curb parking places in the parking area, the Server may also
provide the user D1 with portions of additional parking route(s).
For example it may be another best/optimized parking route but
formed for another set of parking preferences (say, suggesting
parking places located farer from the DEST). In another example,
the additional route may be a route to the cheapest parking lot in
the parking area and/or the closest to the PEST parking lot. Such a
route may further be optimized to ensure maximal expected curb
parking places along the proposed way to the parking lot The
proposed route(s) are suggested to the client D1 and displayed on
the screen of the client's mobile device 4.1.
[0137] The client 4.1 drives according to a route selected by
him/her from the routes proposed by the Server 2, the client's
current location is regularly transmitted to the Server as well as
the fact of parking/not parking the car. Server 2 collects the
client's locations and the facts of parking/not parking, and
decides whether the client's User Database (and the main Server
Database 8) should be updated about the current status of parking
availability at specific streets of the urban area.
[0138] It should be noted that the client D1 may select not to
transmit to the Server its parking permits/preferences; in this
case the client D1 may use the User Database 9.1 received from the
Server for performing the parking search at the client's mobile
device, and for determining the optimized parking route(s) locally
(if the mobile device is capable of performing such processing). In
the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, all the clients inform Server about
their current locations and the status of parking along the street
segments that they traverse and the Server Database is immediately
updated to accommodate the new information. If the Server decides
that the User Database(s) should be updated, it updates one or more
User Databases (9.1, 9.2 . . . 9.n) stored at the Server 2.
Specific updates may be then transmitted to one or more suitable
clients (4.1, 4.2 . . . 4.n).
[0139] FIG. 2 actually shows one exemplary screenshot from display
10 of a user's (driver or passenger) mobile device, during the use
of the proposed inventive facility. The screenshot will be used to
explain the invention in more details.
[0140] Each user of the proposed system, seeking for a parking
place PP around a predetermined destination, submits to the system:
a) user destination DEST and b) at least one combination/set of
user's parking preferences which indicate b1) whether the user has
any privileges in the parking area (as resident of the area,
handicapped person or the owner of special parking permission in
the area), and b2) personal parking preferences defining, for
example: the maximal walk distance from expected parking place PP
to the destination DEST, the maximal PP price (willingness to pay),
the maximal total parking search time, etc.
[0141] Each specific combination of such and/or other possible
entries constitutes a set of a user's parking preferences. Each
user may create more than one such sets of parking preferences and
may further compare the corresponding recommended parking routes
calculated by the system for said preferences'
combinations/sets.
[0142] In FIG. 2, destination DEST of our exemplary user is marked
by 17 and the user searches for parking within of a parking area 18
around DEST (borders of the parking area are not shown in FIG. 2),
wherein the radius of the parking area is defined by the user. Our
driver's car 24 (which is shown as currently situated at the point
CL--current location) searches for parking in the parking area. A
smaller circle 19 shown in FIG. 2 corresponds to the zoom along the
proposed optimal search route on the user's display. In the example
of FIG. 2, the user's destination DEST (17) is seen on the border
of circle 19; however, in practice, they usually do not coincide
and, at a close zoom, the destination can be beyond the area
presented at the mobile device screen.
[0143] Given a specific driver's destination and driver's
privileges and parking preferences, the proposed technique is able
to determine, instantaneously update and present to the driver at
least one parking search route instantaneously updating itself in
the real time. In FIG. 2, the best (optimized) parking route is
shown by three solid road links 12, 14 and 16. The best parking
route provides maximal expected number of the vacant parking places
that fit to the driver's privileges and preferences.
[0144] In some embodiments, the technique also determines, presents
and displays to the client at least one additional parking route.
Usually, additional parking routes are routes to two parking lots,
one being the closest to the destination and one being the cheapest
in the parking area or beyond, and such an example will be further
discussed with reference to FIG. 2
[0145] Alternatively or in addition, the alternative optimized
parking route may be formed and presented for an alternative set of
the driver's parking preferences.
[0146] The mentioned best possible parking search route may be
generated based on estimating, for each segment of a road between
two junctions like 12, 14, 16, an expected number of vacant
[0147] PPs and characteristics of these PPs. Such expected numbers
of the parking places may be directly displayed, or may be
translated into colors or patterns of the segments 12, 14, 16. For
example, red segments indicate that the probability to find a
parking place on them is low, while blue links indicate high
probability of the vacant parking place.
[0148] When a car 24 drives along a specific road segment (segment
12 in FIG. 2), characteristics of parking permissions at the right
and at the left sides of the road link may also be displayed. For
example, it can be done at the right bottom arc and at the left
bottom arc of the driver's zoom circumference, as shown by patterns
20 and 22.
[0149] The initial expected number of the vacant parking places for
specific street segments is initially estimated by the proposed
technique, based on the remote sensing techniques and/or previously
performed field surveys which form a parking Database 8 of the
entire urban area.
[0150] The Database may be later enriched with information that is
accumulated from the users or other sources. Based on the
characteristics of the vacant curb PPs, the technique/facility
constructs each of said "best possible parking routes" so that each
of them satisfies a specific set of criteria (i.e., the driver's
parking preferences) and guarantees the highest possible expected
number of the vacant curb PPs along them.
[0151] As has been mentioned above, different sets of preferences
result in different best possible parking search routes, e.g., 1) a
route that minimizes the expected search time, 2) a route that
always remains close to the destination or 3) a route that
minimizes curb total parking fees, 4) a route that combines two or
more of the above-mentioned criteria giving some weight to each of
them, 5) a shortest route to the closest parking lot; 6) a shortest
route to the cheapest parking lot, etc.
[0152] FIG. 2 illustrates one example according to which, for car
24, the proposed system displays not only the best/optimized
parking route comprising links 12-14-16, but also route 26 to the
cheapest parking lot in the area 18 (route 26 is marked with dots),
and route 28 to the lot that is the closest to destination DEST
(route 28 is marked with crosses).
[0153] Routes 26, 28 may be just the shortest paths to the lots,
but may be optimized by the proposed method to provide the highest
possible probability of the curb parking on the way to these lots
in order to nonetheless avoid off-street parking with its
relatively high fees, also by taking into account the driver's
preferences, as a total search time available.
[0154] In another example, an additional best parking route
corresponding to another set of the driver's parking preferences
may be a route which suggests navigation within the same parking
area but with a lowest curb PP price (or with a lower time limit,
always remaining closer to the destination, etc.)
[0155] In some embodiments, the user's mobile device displays
portions of the route/s that is/are presented, several next links
of each of the discussed best search paths, and guides the driver
turn by turn.
[0156] The zoom area 18 on the display may also provide indication
of the current street the user traverses 27, and of the user's
distance 28 to the destination DEST.
[0157] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates how the proposed system can
be initiated from a user's mobile device. The user (driver) is
schematically marked with D. Blocks of the flowchart schematically
show steps of the method's initiation, which are preferably
implemented by software means provided in the proposed mobile
application. Let the driver's mobile device is G, and a server is
S.
[0158] Block 30: D starts a suitable mobile application of a
proposed technique (say, a smartphone application). The step
usually comprises indication of the destination PEST which is
transmitted to the server (S). In case the destination is not
transmitted, the default setting may be that the user is searching
for parking within the vicinity of the current location. User's
parking preferences, in case they are different from some default
preferences, are established, and user's current location CL is
provided by the equipment (smartphone's) GPS receiver.
[0159] Block 32 checks (by software means at the mobile device G)
whether it is the application's first launch.
[0160] If it is the first run of the program (or if the driver's
preferences changed from the last trip and are to be updated by D),
Block 33 of the algorithm will continue the process via Blocks 34,
36, 38.
[0161] Block 34 supposes that D will introduce specific parking
permits, such as a permit to park at places for handicapped
drivers, a citizen's/resident's permit. The default is "no special
permits".
[0162] Blocks 36, 38 comprise means for introducing D's parking
preferences: for example, on the maximal parking price and on the
walk distance/walk time to the DEST. Default maximal price maybe,
for example $3/hour and default walk distance can be 400 m/7
minutes. Block 39 is an optional software/hardware unit of the
mobile device, responsible for transmitting parking preferences of
D and changes thereof from the user's mobile device (G) to the
server (S). If the application was launched in the past, the
previous parking preferences may be exploited (see Block 33); in
this case the preferences may be transmitted to the server S in the
form previously stored in the mobile device.
[0163] The user may create alternative sets of preferences for the
same trip. In this case the flow chart of FIG. 3 will operate
accordingly.
[0164] FIG. 4 illustrates the main steps of the proposed navigation
procedure. The procedure starts with the previously described
steps/blocks 30 and 39.
[0165] Block 40 is responsible for obtaining the user car's current
location (CL) and transmitting it as input data to the server (S).
The current location data is continuously produced in cooperation
with a OPS sensor of the user's mobile device.
[0166] Block 42 illustrates one of the new steps proposed by the
Inventors. Server S transmits to the user's mobile device (G), that
contains the information from the Server Data Base that is
necessary for the parking search within the user's search area,
namely the currently available information about all possible
routes and all possible parking places in the parking area of
interest (i.e., in the area defined by a radius selected by the
user around the DEST). This information may be, for example, in the
form of a User parking search Database, formed for that specific
client D.
[0167] The Server S may be adapted to calculate best parking search
routes for all drivers D in the urban area. However, FIG. 4 shows a
more advanced, decentralized version of the method, according to
which the parking search is performed by mobile devices of the
users, based on the respective User parking search Databases
received from the Server. In any version of the method, the best
parking search routes that are determined according to specific
sets/combinations of the driver's parking preferences will be
finally presented at each of the mobile devices.
[0168] Block 44 may comprise a search engine of the mobile device
G, and be capable of providing at least one search in the User
Database (received from 5) in order to define at least one best
parking route/path. The best parking routes presented at the mobile
device G will be always optimized for the input data (DEST, CL) and
according to the driver's parking preferences. Optionally, block 44
also calculates routes from the CL to a) the closest to the DEST
parking lot, and b) the cheapest parking lot in or beyond the
parking area. Other options of additional parking routes are
possible.
[0169] Block 46 is responsible for providing the "turn by turn"
guidance to the driver D by the mobile device G. It is supposed
that the driver D follows the provided turn by turn guidance. If
not, the best parking route(s) are recalculated starting from the
new CL, (see block 48).
[0170] The Server stores the mentioned User Databases and
continuously updates its parking information in the main Database
and, if necessary, in the User Databases. For example, the Server
may analyze the drivers' behavior during their parking search, and
based on that, may update the User Database (in this example, the
Server Database is always up-to-date).
[0171] Possible ways of updating the Server (S) and the user's
mobile devices (G) will be discussed in more details with reference
to boxes 48-58.
[0172] Block 48 is responsible for sensing the drivers' movement,
and to transmitting the information to the Server, so as to
recalculate the routes if and when necessary.
[0173] Block 49 is responsible for recalculating the best search
route(s) in case the driver deviates from the proposed search
route.
[0174] Block 50 describes operations performed in the server (S),
namely--receiving updates about drivers' current locations,
analysis of the drivers' movements, updating the Server Database on
current parking availability by using information received from the
users who drive along the proposed best parking routes in real
time, and updating the best parking routes in case these routes are
presently stored at the Server. See also block 52.
[0175] Block 52 updates the Server, whether the driver has parked.
The check may be performed periodically, for example by analyzing
user's GPS information or by an explicit user's action.
[0176] If the car is finally parked, the system will be capable to
show the user the preferred walking path from the parking place to
the destination DEST (Block 54).
[0177] If any case, updates about parking availability of a
specific road link may be introduced into the Server and User
Databases (the latter also, transmitted to the mobile device
G)--see Block 58 and also FIG. 5.
[0178] If the parking search continues, the search time is compared
with the user-defined maximal search time (Block 56), and the
mentioned updates are made to the Server Database and to the User
Database to facilitate best possible search further (Block 58). If
the time limit set by the user expires, the user is warned about
that and advised to navigate to a parking lot (Block 62).
[0179] If the driver D follows the advice, cancels the curb search
and decides to park at a parking lot (Block 62), he/she will be
provided with suggestions (Block 64) and directions to the selected
parking lot (Block 65). If the driver does not wish to cancel the
search, updates of the Database will be performed (Block 58) before
the search for a curb parking place continues.
[0180] FIG. 5 presents an exemplary flowchart which specifies how
the Server of the inventive system may update the parking
availability information. Actually, FIG. 5 is one option of
preparing and performing the function of Block 58 shown in FIG.
4.
[0181] Block 70 shows that Server may continuously collect data on
the real time parking availability all over the city and analyses
parking situation in a parking area around specific destinations of
every searching driver. Such data may be collected in various ways,
for example from a vehicle while being navigated in the parking
area by the proposed system. For instance, the fact that the
vehicle is parked may serve as a confirmation of the best/optimized
parking route proposed to the user, and as confirmation of the
parking availability of the specific road segment where the vehicle
was parked. On the contrary, if the vehicle passes a "recommended"
road segment in the parking area near its DEST and is not parked,
the current parking availability of that specific segment may be
temporarily updated to be 0. (Consequently, the best parking
route/s of that and/or other user may be updated, see blocks 72,
74).
[0182] Block 72 shows an optional functionality of the Server to
perform continuous updates of the User Databases about curb and
off-street parking places in the driver's search areas for all
drivers being in communication with the Server. The Server may
continuously recalculate best parking routes and send them to
drivers. This function can be also performed by the user's
smartphone based on the updated User Database transmitted by the
Server.
[0183] Block 74 shows that the mobile devices, upon receiving the
update from the Server, will update the best parking search
route(s) presented to the driver.
[0184] FIG. 6 is a flow chart explaining one optional way of
calculating the endless continuous best parking search route for a
vehicle driving in a specific parking area having the center at a
DEST, given a specific current location CL. The example of FIG. 6
illustrates that the best parking search route is endless
(unlimited in its length) and may be gradually composed from newly
portions calculated in real time.
[0185] As already mentioned before, the calculation of the best
parking search route may be fully performed at the Server S, which
may determine a current best parking path by applying a specific
set of driver's parking preferences. Alternatively, the calculation
may be performed at the Server only partially, so that a User
Database is formed at the Server for a specific user based on the
information on user's destination DEST and maximal distance between
the possible parking place and destination, and then the
calculation of the portions of the best parking route is performed
at the user's mobile device where specific parking preferences of
the driver are applied.
[0186] Blocks 80-88 are applicable to the both above cases. [0187]
Block 80 Establishes the vehicle's location CL and the driver's
destination PEST and maximal distance between possible parking
place and destination DEST in order to establish driver's parking
search area; [0188] Block 82 determines all possible portions of
all parking search routes within the parking area that start from
the CL, are not longer than a predetermined length and satisfy
user's set(s) of preferences. [0189] Block 83 Selects the portion
which accumulates the maximal number of expected vacant parking
places PP; that portion will constitute the current portion of the
best parking route(s). [0190] Block 84 guides the vehicle along the
current route portion until the vehicle is parked or until half of
the current route portion is traversed. [0191] Block 86 is
responsible for calculating a new portion of the best parking route
for the vehicle, to be used in case the vehicle will reach the end
of the current route portion without parking. The calculation is
performed similarly to that described in Blocks 80-82. [0192] Block
88 presents the new portion of the best parking search route
calculated at Block 86: if the vehicle arrives to the end of the
current route portion (and is not parked yet), it will continue the
search along the new portion.
[0193] Based on the above-described examples of the new proposed
technology, one may realize that the novel technique preliminarily
determines the expected number of vacant PPs (ENVP) on each road
segment. The estimate may be based upon earlier observations of PPs
availability along the street segments at the same time of a day,
day of the week, and period of a year. Initial estimates of the
number and location of the available curb and off-street PPs may
come from the layers of urban GIS and field surveys. The surveys
are conducted in a given area or in areas with the similar parking
conditions. These conditions include parking permission in the
area, car ownership rate of the area's residents, residential
demand for parking and location, size and type of activities of the
educational, business and commercial units and leisure facilities,
all attracting visitors who do not reside in the area.
[0194] The parking availability information, stored by road
segments, is further presented to a specific user as the best
parking search route calculated for that specific user.
[0195] The initial information of the parking supply may be
instantaneously updated based on a) external sources, b) the
accumulated information on the outcomes of parking search of the
drivers who have exploited the facility in this area in the past
and c) the real-time information received from the drivers who
currently search for parking in this area. The updates usually
relate to specific road segments, and thus are used to update
information on the relevant segments in the Server and Users
Databases. The proposed novel technique is therefore adapted to
build the best parking search routes in the area, for every new
driver arriving to the area by using the most updated information
that is available.
[0196] The facility may ensure that the driver's destination,
current location and the best and additional parking routes are
presented on a display, so that the driver can manually manipulate
with them.
[0197] The proposed facility may comprise displaying several best
parking routes each providing the maximal possible number of
parking place each satisfying one of the alternative sets of user's
preferences. In case the probability to find a PP when driving
along a specific best parking search route is very low or zero, the
facility may report this to the driver and may suggest to change
the search preferences. Each ready (calculated or displayed)
parking route is preferably accompanied by the data on expected
search time, walking time to destination and total parking
fees.
[0198] The facility may further comprise estimation of the expected
search time, walking time to destination and total parking fees in
case the facility is not employed and the driver would decide to
search the PP on her/his own.
[0199] Further, the facility may provide that for each displayed
parking route, several road segments ahead are presented, while
each of the routes is instantaneously updated, in respect to the
driver's advance and based on the real-time information on the
parking search of the user and the other drivers that use the
facility in the area. In this manner, the facility always provides
to the driver several next segments for each of the displayed
parking routes.
[0200] The facility thus will be capable either to provide the user
with a group of the most efficient parking routes, each satisfying
a given set of criteria (parking preferences), or will be capable
to report to the user that his/her preferences cannot be satisfied.
Taken together, the group of alternative parking routes covers all
best parking options in the area and makes the driver's parking
search maximally efficient.
[0201] It should be appreciated that while the invention has been
described with reference to specific examples and drawings, other
versions of the method may be proposed which should be considered
part of the invention whenever defined by the claims which
follow.
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